SportPlus.sg writer Charis Chua shares her experience of a garage tour with Team Red Bull at the 2022 Formula One Singapore Grand Prix
PHOTO: CHARIS CHUA, SPORTPLUS.SG
You heard their roar before you saw them. If you blinked, you missed them. Even if you did not know them, they made themselves known.
Formula One was officially back in Singapore.
This year, Sport Plus had the privilege of witnessing the Red Bull Racing team in action during the first free practice session, and we are here to share the experience with you.
PHOTO: CHARIS CHUA, SPORTPLUS.SG
Under the setting sun, the teams fired up their cars and sent them out on track to collect crucial data for Sunday’s race.
As we were lead from the circuit park entrance to the paddock, it was impossible to ignore the buzz of excitement from the fans that filled the atmosphere, and the roar of the cars permeated my entire being as they made their way round the track.
When we entered the paddock, to the left were the teams’ hospitality units which guests are entertained in, and to the right was the pit building that houses the garages. With the session in action, most of the team personnel were congregated in their respective garages which left the paddock emptier than what I would expect it to usually be.
PHOTO: CHARIS CHUA, SPORTPLUS.SG
Entering the Red Bull Racing garage was like being transported to another dimension. In contrast to the relative peace of the paddock, the garage was quite cramped and a bustling hive of activity.
Key personnel were stationed in front of computer monitors that lined the sides of the garage, and there were constantly engineers on the move. Whether they were fitting tyres, making physical adjustments to the car, or just staying hydrated in Singapore’s punishing climate, the work never stopped.
PHOTO: CHARIS CHUA, SPORTPLUS.SG
Everyone in the garage was fitted with some form of ear protection, including those of us on the tour. We each had access to a headset that was connected live to the driver’s radios with their race engineers, and could hear exactly what was being discussed during the practice session.
It is common knowledge that F1 is data-driven and highly complex. But the chance to see the telemetry and listen to the discussions between driver and race engineer gave me a newfound appreciation for the intricacies of the sport.
Every monitor in the garage displayed some form of technical information in the form of colourful lines, charts and tables — impossible to decipher to the untrained eye. Furthermore, even though they spoke English, the code used to between driver and race engineer was beyond the realms of understanding without insider information.
PHOTO: CHARIS CHUA, SPORTPLUS.SG
When the engines were fired up in the garage, the force of the sound it produced almost put the sounds trackside to shame. While trackside, the engine sounds permeated my being. But in the enclosed garage, I could feel it in my bones, and I was completely subdued by such a remarkable piece of engineering.
The garage was a sensory overload, but a good sensory overload if one ever existed.
Even though I only had the pleasure of visiting a small area of the paddock and one team’s garage, it was already evident that the Formula One circus is a well-oiled machine. With its contract extension for six more years until 2028, the world can look forward to several more instalments of the much beloved Singapore Grand Prix.
Many thanks to Red Bull for extending this opportunity to Sport Plus.